# Do you need to vote in every race on your ballot?

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/do-you-need-to-vote-in-every-race-on-your-ballot/
- Published: 2026-11-03T14:00:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-03T23:53:27+00:00
- Original publisher: The Hill (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/6163475-do-you-need-to-vote-in-every-race-on-your-ballot/
- Topics: Americas, Elections, Politics, World

## Key points

- You can leave a race or ballot measure blank.
- Votes you cast in other contests still count.
- Check your ballot before submitting it for accidental omissions.

## Summary

Voters in US elections do not have to make a choice in every race or ballot measure. Leaving a contest blank is known as an undervote. The ballot can still be submitted, and votes marked in other contests are counted. The guidance is relevant to voters who are undecided about a candidate or unfamiliar with a local race: skipping one choice does not cancel the choices they have made elsewhere on the ballot.

An undervote can also occur when a contest allows several selections and a voter makes fewer than the maximum. Election officials record those unmarked choices separately from votes cast. Voters should check their ballot before submitting it, since an empty contest could be accidental. Polling-place systems may flag an undervote and give voters an opportunity to review their selections, while instructions and procedures vary by jurisdiction.

## Coverage

- [The Hill: Do you need to vote in every race on your ballot?](https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/6163475-do-you-need-to-vote-in-every-race-on-your-ballot/)
- [St Charles County Election Authority: Election Authority – Voting FAQs](https://sccmo.org/m/FAQ)
- [US Election Assistance Commission: Voting System Performance Guidelines](https://www.eac.gov/sites/default/files/eac_assets/1/28/VVSG%201.1%20VOL%201.508compliant.FINAL.pdf)

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.